Drama, Love and Parents
by dustytiger
Summary: Reid and Prentiss need to tell their mothers about their engagement. It's time for them to face Prentiss' mother.
1. What About Prentiss' Dad?

Title: Love, Drama, and Parents: What About Prentiss' Dad? (Part 1 of 4)  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T (same as the show)  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, they belong to their creator, network, writers and actors and actresses who bring them to life every week. I just borrow them so they can have some fun.  
Summary: Reid and Prentiss need to tell their mothers about their engagement. But before that happen Reid asks Prentiss about her father.  
Notes: This is technically an epilogue to "Who Celebrates Six Months" in my series starting with "Wedding Date Blues" but I like to think it works on its own so long as you understand that Reid and Prentiss are engaged and have been dating for just over six months. There has never been mention of Prentiss' father. I see her as a daddy's girl, and since CM doesn't seem to like to let the team have their families I assumed he passed. I see him as man who didn't like politics but loved his wife and daughter. I'm saving the "best" till last, there will be lots of drama when they get to Prentiss' mother. As per always this four-part mini plot is complete. I just reserve the right to be evil.

* * *

Reid gently rubbed Prentiss' shoulders, as she laid in their hotel room bed. He was sitting on her legs to better give her the massage. She sighed happily, glad to not be alone in a strange city. His hands started to move lower down her back. Those hands really were magic, she didn't think there was anything new to learn about them, until that night. Just thinking about the next few days was stressing her out. She was nervous about meeting Reid's mother, and was not looking forward to telling her own mother about their recent engagement.

"Is that helping?" Reid asked her, still massaging her back.

"Yeah, it is. Where did you learn that?" she asked.

"They offered a course while I was in university. Everyone told me I should get a well rounded education, so I decided to try a quick massage course. It seemed more useful then some of the other courses I could take. I thought it might help me to get women to remove their shirts for me."

She laughed. "How did that work out for you?"

"You're the first woman who stuck around long enough to let me practice on her. It's been awhile since I've done it. You seem to be enjoying it though."

"I am very much so. Your hands really are magic."

"You're so tense."

"Just wait until we go see my mother. This is nothing."

If the stress wasn't bad enough, Prentiss was also in a lot of pain. Normally her cramps didn't stop her like they had. It had been a long time since she just needed to lay in bed with something warm against her abdomen. She was glad Reid was there, he seemed to like taking care of her. Although his hand were nowhere near where she hurt, somehow it felt like the massage was helping.

"Then we will have to fix that when the time comes," he assured her. "Is the magic bag still warm or would you like me to put it in the microwave again?"

"No, it's still good. You are so sweet taking care of me like this."

"That's what you do when you love a person."

She smiled. "It's just cramps, they'll go away."

"I know, but you've never looked so pale before. I know that this whole thing is stressful and I'm sorry."

"I'm not worried about meeting your mother. You told me yourself that the doctors think that this new round of medication is helping her. She's going to be happy for us. My mother on the other hand, that's going to be rough."

He nodded. "I know you're right. My mom just wants me to be happy. I've never actually brought anyone there to meet her before."

"You've never been engaged before."

"I tried to bring you before that, but she had an episode."

"I understand, really, Spencer. I know you're not trying to hide me from her. I understand her challenges. I told you I have done my research. I am prepared for this." Prentiss tried to sit up to kiss him.

"Oh, no you don't, I'm not done relaxing you yet." He continued to massage her back, his hands getting lower.

"Take it easy, you you're getting a little close to my ass there buster.""

"What's the problem with that exactly?"

"You're going to get me all hot and bothered, and we can't do anything about it for a few days," she sighed.

"I'll be good."

"That I don't believe that for a second Doctor Reid."

His hands were working his way back up her back. "Is that better?"

"Kind of," she sighed. "I know you are trying to be sweet, but this is really turning me on, so we might have to stop."

He moved so that she could sit up. She sat up slowly bringing the magic bag with her, placing it around her aching abdomen. It had been years since she had been so immobilized by cramp. He pulled her into his arms gently, she relaxed into him. He went to put on the television in the room only to discover it wasn't working. He had started to like watching movies she would find together.

"I guess that leaves talking," he laughed.

"I guess it does," she replied. "What should we talk about?"

"Well I know about your mother, and you know about both of my parents. But I know nothing about your father. You never speak about him."

"He died when I was seven," she whispered. "He had thrombosis, and never listened to the doctors. He was a nervous flyer and wouldn't stand up and stretch like he was supposed to. He went to bed one night and never woke up. The clot moved into his lung."

Reid was white as a sheet. "Are you at risk?"

"No, I go to a specialist every year, and she assures me that I am not at risk more than anyone else. I still like to get up and walk around, switch seats while we are in the jet though. Trust me I am not at risk, I still take all the precautions. I would never put the people I love through that."

"All right good. I just found you. I'm not ready to lose you." He kissed her softly.

"Trust me Spencer I am not going anywhere without kicking up one hell of a fight."

"So tell me about him."

She took a deep breath. "I've never told anyone about him before."

"I want to know. You must take after him since you are nothing like your mother."

She laughed. "My father hated my mom's parties and politics, but for whatever reason he loved her. I guess I do take after him. I still remember that he would stay with me when my mother was off smoozing. He never liked the idea of nannies. I would have to get all dressed up in these crazy dresses, and we would go to the parties. At the time I really liked them, but I liked spending time with Daddy better. After we ate I would start to complain about a stomach ache, and he would whisk me up to our room to help me feel better."

"You little fibber Emily Prentiss."

"It was okay cause my daddy told me to do it. When we got back to the hotel room he would start to tell me stories. I wish I could remember them all and write them down. He would just make up stories right off the top of his head. I would hang off of his every word."

Reid was once again massaging her shoulders. This time she just relaxed into his soft touch as she remembered the some of the fondest memories of her childhood. Reid was happy to hear something good about her childhood. He smiled unable to keep his hands off of her soft skin.

"I haven't thought about some of this in years Spencer. It's helping me to take my mind off of the pain, and the stress. Thank you."

He kissed her forehead. "It's good to hear that some people got good fathers. So he would just tell you stories?"

"Yeah, he always did. It's one of my first memories. He didn't read to me like my grandmother did when she would watch me. He always just told a story off the top of his head. A lot of them revolved around Princess Emily, until I told him I was not a princess cause I didn't want a prince."

Reid laughed. "So you have always been an independent woman?"

"I guess so. After that I would be a knight, or super hero. I loved those stories. I think that's why I wanted to be in law enforcement."

Reid loved to hear about Prentiss as a child, it wasn't often that they would just open up and tell stories like that. Normally they were working, trying very hard to pretend they were really just co-workers. When they weren't on a case they liked to spend a lot of time sequestered in their bedroom to make up for the all the time they couldn't so much as touch each other. In the rest of the free time they had Prentiss had made it her goal to teach Reid about pop-culture, which he was slowly but surely picking up on.

"It's nice to just talk," Reid mentioned.

"Yeah it is. We should do this more often."

He nodded. "Tell me your favourite memory of your father."

Prentiss thought for a moment. There were a lot of memories flooding over her. They were all pleasant memories. It was starting to make her feel more at ease about the coming days, dealing with their mothers. It also meant that she didn't feel the need to clutch the magic bag to aching abdomen anymore.

"I was five, and I don't even remember what city we were in, but I do remember that we couldn't get out of an event like we always did. It was earlier so there was no reason for me to spend the whole night in bed. I was in a blue dress, and all I wanted to do was spin myself into the floor because it caught the air when I spun," she explained. "It's funny I still remember how dizzy I would get. Then I would start spinning the other way and I wouldn't feel dizzy anymore."

"Does that work?"

"You never spun yourself into a circle until the whole world was moving even after you stopped?"

"Um, no," Reid replied. "I spent most of my childhood reading after my father left."

"When we have little geniuses they are getting kid time too, Spencer."

"Deal, now I want to hear the rest of your story."

She smiled. "I guess I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and bumped into some big time politician. This woman, I guess one of his aides yelled at me, and I was just about to cry, when my dad came over, picked me up and started dancing with me. I felt like the luckiest kid in the world. Someone took a picture of it, I still have that picture."

"I'd like to see it when we get home."

"I'll show you. I have a whole scrap book of pictures and things that remind me of him. One of my aunts made it for me, and gave it to me a year after he passed way. I've never shown it to anyone before."

"I feel honoured. Do you need that warmed up?" He asked taking the now cool bag from her.

"No, I'm feeling a lot better. Talking about something good made me forget how stressed I am, and I don't need it anymore."

"I'm glad. Why don't you talk about him more often?"

"Because it's always been too hard before," she explained. "When I started talking about him I would think about losing him, and how unfair it was, and it would just upset me. I still remember when we left the funeral I couldn't understand why he wasn't coming us. With everything that just happened with Hotch I guess it just brought back all of those feelings I hadn't thought about in a long time."

"I'm sorry I brought it up," he sighed slightly.

"Don't be, really. I am starting to remember all the good times instead. Just like everyone keeps encouraging Jack to do. I wish I had had people around me who had done that."

"What did your mother do after your father died?"

"She pretended like it never happened. I would ask her questions and she would change the subject. I would try to tell her the stories daddy used to tell me, and she would start to cry. I didn't like to make her cry, so I just stopped talking about him. We both just stopped talking about him. It was like he was never even there. It was horrible."

"I'm so sorry."

"Maybe that's why my mother and I never really got along. My father and I were always so much alike. You know he used to sneak me his desert when ever we had to attend anything. My mother never even noticed that he was doing it. He knew that it made me happy," she grinned remembering that.

"That's really sweet that he would do that for you."

"Thank you for making me think about all of this Spencer." She kissed him gently. "I forgot how much fun we used to have. I just wish I could talk to my mother about all of this. It's funny her family never approved of him, and now she's doing the same thing to me, with you."

"What was wrong with your father?"

"They thought she could find someone better. He quit his job as a public defender when they got married because he needed to travel with her. Then after I was born he never really looked again because he wanted to raise me. They thought it was the man's job to take care of the woman. My mom never would have gone for that. She loved her job. My lord my mother is messed up. She wants me to have the exact thing she rebelled against."

"What are you talking about?"

"She keeps telling me I need to find a man who can take care of me. But she didn't want that, and she married who she wanted to despite what her family said. Now she makes me feel like a leper for doing the same thing."

"I'm sorry Emily," he said kissing her forehead. "You know that I could, take care of you if that was what you wanted, right?"

She yawned. "I know Spencer. Kind of like you have been doing since we landed?"

"Just like that," he assured her. "It's getting late, and we have a long day tomorrow."

"You're right, I love you."

She turned off the light and the two of them curled up together in the king sized hotel bed. It was always nice when they didn't have to be alone in a new city. Prentiss spend the night dreaming about the great times she had had with her father.

End part 1

Notes: I hope you enjoyed this. I actually didn't plan on doing this whole part with the parents. I was just going to skip ahead to wedding stuffage, but I kept thinking about Prentiss' dad, and it hit me I could make it four parts, for the four parents! Up next "Reid's Mom"


	2. Meeting Reid's Mom

Title: Love, Drama, and Parents: Meeting Reid's Mom (Part 2 of 4)  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T (same as the show)  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, they belong to their creator, network, writers and actors and actresses who bring them to life every week. I just borrow them so they can have some fun.  
Summary: Reid and Prentiss need to tell their mothers about their engagement. Before the drama starts Prentiss meets Reid's mother.  
Notes: I've always liked the relationship between Reid and his mom. I have been hesitant to write this because I wanted it get right. I think I did it justice. I would love to hear what other people think though. This one is a little fuzzy but there will be some drama in the coming parts. I am of course being evil and saving Prentiss' mother for last.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Reid asked Prentiss after waking her up.

"I'm feeling a lot better today," she replied. "Although I am a little hungry."

"I had a feeling you'd say that, so I bought you a breakfast sub while I was getting coffee."

"You thought of everything Spencer, thank you."

He put everything down on the small desk table that was in their room. Prentiss got up and pulled on her bathrobe. She liked to bring one from home when she had room. It was made of green silk. The robe had been a gift from Reid the first year she had been at the BAU when Garcia had decided they should do a Secret Santa gift exchange. He had told her that he never knew what to buy women, but she thought the gift had been perfect. She sat down and began to eat her sub, and drink her coffee.

"What time did you want to go see your mom?"

"I was thinking around lunch time, maybe a little bit before that. There's no real rush, visiting hours are seven to seven."

"All right, thank you for letting me sleep in."

"I thought you needed it. You looked so happy while you were sleeping."

"I was having a great dream," she grinned. "After having a few dreams about my dad I had one about us having a baby. He looked just like you."

"That sounds like a nice dream. It was just a dream, right? This isn't your way of telling me that we slipped up that night we were celebrating our engagement."

She giggled. "No, not at all, I promise. When it happens I'm not going to beat around the bush I'll be too excited."

"All right good."

"I'm going to get in the shower. There are some books in suitcase if you want to read them."

"Thanks."

Prentiss disappeared into the bathroom, while Reid went into her suitcase and pulled out the first book he found, and began to read it. Prentiss came out a while later wearing a simple red sundress. She always dressed so differently when they weren't on a case. He looked up from the book and put it down on the bed.

"You look great," Reid said.

"Thank you, are you ready for this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

"It's going to be fine." She squeezed his hand.

"Just keep doing that and I _will_ be fine."

Reid and Prentiss left the hotel room, and went down to their rental car. Prentiss grabbed the keys from him. They had rented a red two door convertible and she loved driving. Reid shrugged, and gave her directions. They were soon in front of the Bennington Sanatorium.

"It's one of the best in the country. I did a lot of research before I placed her here. I just never though that I would join the BAU and not be able to visit her every day," he explained. "I have offered to move her somewhere closer to me, but she says that this is her home now. I've already taken her from one home I can't hurt her like that again."

"You don't need to explain this to me Spencer. I know you love your mother, and you want what is best for her."

"Thank you for understanding Emily." He leaned over and kissed her cheek gently.

They went into the building together. His hand was on the small of her back as they walked. He scanned the building after explaining to the receptionist why he was there. He found his mother's doctor fairly quickly and went over to him. The two men shook hands.

"Doctor Reid, you brought a friend with you," said Reid's mother's doctor.

"Yes, she's more then my friend, actually. Doctor Smyth I'd like you to meet my fiancée Emily Prentiss. Emily this is Doctor Smyth, he's been helping my mom for the last year. How is she doing today?"

"She's doing very well. All she has been able to talk about for the past few days is how you are coming to visit. If you like I can even arrange for you to take her out."

"That would be nice. It's been a while since I have been able to have lunch with my mom," Reid replied grinning.

Prentiss had never seen that look on Reid's face before. He was like a child on Christmas morning. She was thrilled to see him so excited as they walked toward his mother's room. She realised that she was nervous, and reached for Reid's hand. He took her hand, squeezing it gently.

"Diana, you have a visitor," said Doctor Smyth.

Diana Reid smiled, and turned around. She was surprised to see her son holding hands with a young woman. Reid smiled at his mother, and was torn between going over and giving her a hug, and staying with Prentiss. He wanted to stay with Prentiss and reassure her, but he hardly got to see his mother. He was torn.

"Spencer!" she exclaimed. "You came! You didn't tell me you were brining a friend."

"Sorry Mom. I guess I just wanted it to be a surprise," he said, as Prentiss let his hand go, he went over and gave his mother a hug. "This is Emily Prentiss."

"Are you here on another case Spencer?" Her smile faded slightly.

"No, Mom. No, this is not business at all, I promise you. We are here to visit with you. Emily is my-"

Prentiss had never seen Reid so tongue tied. He was actually nervous and unsure of himself around his mother, she thought it was endearing. Prentiss had seen him at a loss for words before but it was usually after they had gotten home from a case. She went over and put her hand on Reid's back gently to reassure him.

"Mom, Emily is my fiancée."

"Fiancée?" she asked, surprised. "I didn't even know that you were dating anyone."

"I wanted you to meet her sooner, but it's hard for us to get time off work together. This wasn't something I wanted to tell you in a letter or over the phone. You understand, right Mom?"

"Yes, Spencer, I do. How long have you two been seeing each other since you are engaged?"

"We've been dating for just over six months now."

"It's nice to finally meet you Missus Reid," Prentiss said, holding out her hand.

Diana took her hand a shook it. "It's nice to meet you, too. You are so skinny. Does the FBI feed their agents anything other then coffee?"

"Mom!" exclaimed Reid.

"A mother is allowed to worry about her son and future daughter in law's weight when you both are so skinny. I've seen your media liaison on the television too, she's skin and bones as well. I understand you have demanding jobs but you need to take care of yourselves as well."

"We do. I have even talked Spencer into going for runs with me," Prentiss assured her.

"Spencer used to like to run. I'm glad you got him in the habit of doing it again. It helps to clear your mind. It's so much safer when you're not alone."

"You're right, and it's also a good excuse to spend some time alone together when we are on a case."

"Although we normally just talk about the case anyway," laughed Reid. "But it is always nice to be able to spend time together while we are on a case."

"How do you two handle your relationship at work?" asked Diana.

"It's hard," Emily explained. "But our boss has agreed that if we keep things professional at work we both can keep our assignments. So far it has been working."

"I hope you both are ready to change when you are married, or even when the reality of the fact you will be getting married sets in. It's one thing when you are dating a person, it's quite another when you are committing your life to that person."

"I suppose that is something we are going to have to deal with Mom. Right now we are still excited to be telling the people who we love about our news."

"I am happy for you, really. I just wanted to tell you, euphoria is a powerful thing Spencer."

Emily laughed. "I am starting to see where Spencer gets his logical side from Missus Reid. That sounds so much like something he'd say."

"In a way we raised each other, but I am very proud of him, and that he has found a woman who can appreciate his mind."

Reid didn't want to start down this very embarrassing path. He needed to distract the women from starting talk about him like he wasn't even in the room. As much as he loved Prentiss there were parts of his childhood he would rather forget then share with anyone. He knew his mother loved to tell stories about him, and he worried what she might share. Reid was still worried that Prentiss might leave if she knew more about how he had grown up.

"Mom, Doctor Smyth mentioned you can come out for lunch today. Where would you like to go?"

"I'm not sure, I would like something we don't get here. I've always liked Chinese food, but I can get that as take out."

"Would you like to try Asian Fusion?" asked Prentiss. "It's a mix of all kinds of Asian foods, like Thai, and Japanese as well."

"That sounds very nice Emily. I hope they offer forks, Spencer may have mastered many things in his life, but chopsticks still seem to baffle him."

"I have noticed that. I think Spencer is trying to change the subject, I don't think he wants us to share embarrassing stories about him."

"He is just going to have to learn that it comes with bringing a woman to visit me. In this case his fiancée so I am allowed to warn her about what she is in for."

"I think I have a fairly good idea about what he's like since we are living together."

"You failed to mention that Spencer," said Diana.

"Sorry Mom. How about we go get some lunch?" Reid suggested.

The three of them got their things and went to the car. Reid drove to an Asian Fusion restaurant that wasn't far away. He was glad that it didn't seem overly busy. His mother sometimes had trouble with large crowds. He was trying to tune out what Prentiss and his mother were talking about as he drove; since he knew it was all about what he was like a child. They got out of the car, and went inside, and were seated right away, by a window.

"This is very nice," Diana whispered. "It's been a long time since we have been able to go for lunch."

"I know Mom. I was excited when Doctor Smyth said we could take you out today."

"It's always nice to be around people, pretend for a moment that I'm not sick."

He reached for her hand. "I wish I could make you better Mom."

"I know Spencer. I am just happy that you have dodged this bullet. Emily I have a question for you; would you like to have children one day?"

"Yes," she replied. "I have looked into your condition and I'm prepared to accept the challenges."

"Are you sure? You can ask Spencer how hard it was for him growing up."

"It would be different because I would be taking care of my child. I have some very personal reasons for wanting to have a child on my own. Spencer knows, and he has agreed that it's worth the risk."

"I just wanted to be sure you understood Emily. It is your choice. I have to say I am rather excited about the possibility of having grand children."

"It won't be for a while yet," Reid mentioned.

"You are aware that there is only so much time a woman can safely have a baby," Diana told her son.

"Yes, Mom, we have talked about that. We would just like to be married before we start a family. Also we need to decide what we are going to do about our careers."

"We don't want our child to be raised by a stranger. Neither of us have any siblings, so there is no one we could trust fully," explained Prentiss.

"You two have thought a lot about this. I'm glad, too many people these days rush into having children before they are ready."

"I don't want to be that woman. I would like to spend as much time with my child as possible."

"I think that is the best choice you can make. It still is hard to leave your career behind."

Prentiss nodded. "It is going to be hard, but I think the pay off will be worth it in long run."

"Having a child and spending as much time as possible with him is always the best choice if you are lucky enough to have the opportunity."

End Part 2

Notes: I just had to bring up genius babies again. I'm teasing a little but it's in list of plot bunnies that I am slowly working through. I'm glad to see some new names popping up alerting and faving this fic. I am so enjoying writing it. I hope you are enjoying reading it as well I would love to hear what you think though. Next "Enter William Reid"


	3. Enter William Reid

Title: Love, Drama, and Parents: Enter William Reid (Part 3 of 4)  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T (same as the show)  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, they belong to their creator, network, writers and actors and actresses who bring them to life every week. I just borrow them so they can have some fun.  
Summary: Reid and Prentiss need to tell their mothers about their engagement. Before they see Prentiss mother they see Reid's father in Las Vegas.  
Notes: Big thank yous to those who have reviewed, altered and faved this fic. I am glad to see people are still liking what I am doing here. Reid is gonna open up a little bit more to Prentiss in this one. It's slightly less fluffy, but this fic may be stuck in fluff land.

* * *

Reid and Prentiss were enjoying dinner in the hotel restaurant. They had just finished their meal. It was actually fairly nice for hotel food. Reid didn't really like the casinos much, and was just glad to spend some time Prentiss.

"Want to share a desert Spencer?" asked Prentiss.

"Sure. I don't think I can eat a full one myself," Reid replied. "That brownie with ice cream and caramel sauce looks good."

"I was thinking the same thing. And your mother thinks we don't eat."

"She's been telling me I am too skinny since I joined the BAU. I think it's her way of telling me she doesn't really like what I am doing with my life. She's always been worried about me joining the FBI. I feel bad for making her worry, but I love my job."

Prentiss took his hand. "I think deep down inside of her she understands that, and that's why she only likes to mention your weight."

"I never thought about it that way. I'm thinking when we get up to our room we could play a game of chess. It's been a long time since we've played."

"That's a great idea, since I can't jump your adorable bones in order to get my frustrations out."

He laughed. "I'm sure that the other guests at this hotel will appreciate that."

She slapped his shoulder playfully. "Don't push your luck Doctor Reid." She leaned over to kiss him but stopped when she noticed a man starting at them. "Spencer how many people do you still know around here?"

"Not many why?"

"There's some guy staring at us. I don't like it."

He looked behind him to where she was looking; cursing under is breath. "Now I just want to go up to our room, and the room service for desert."

"Who is that?" she asked, he seemed very upset.

"That would be my father. I don't want to see him."

"You might not have a choice. He's on his way over here."

Reid sighed, and looked behind him again. Sure enough William Reid was walking toward him. He groaned. He didn't want to see his father. William had been writing Reid letters since the last time he was in Vegas. He thought that ignoring him would make him go away, but it hadn't worked. He wondered how he had found them there.

"Spencer who's your friend?" asked William, coming over and sitting in a free seat next to him.

"Not that it's any of your business but this Emily, she's my fiancée," Reid muttered.

"Nice to meet you Emily, I'm William Reid, Spencer's father." He held out his hand, and Emily shook it grudgingly.

She could tell the Reid was upset, and didn't want to encourage his father by pretending to be nice to him. She hated to see Reid looking so upset. He had told her a lot about how he had felt when his father had left him. They had also talked about finding him again. Reid had made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with his father.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Reid.

"It's not illegal for a father to want to see his son, and meet his girl- or rather fiancée."

"You lost those rights when you left."

"Spencer I thought you'd understand why I left. I didn't want to. I explained that to you. But after what had happened it was too hard to be with your mother."

Reid was playing with the cloth napkin that was on his lap. "I understand why you left Mom. I don't think that I would ever leave Emily like that, and I know that nothing will ever be bad enough for me to leave a child when I we decide to have one. You had over twenty years to find me, and you never did. You wanted nothing to do with me until I tracked you down."

"You tracked me down, that has to say something."

"I thought you were a murder and I needed to know the truth. I did not find you because I wanted to start a relationship with you. It is far too late for that!" snapped Reid.

Prentiss had leaned over the table and took Reid's hand in her gently. Hoping that this would help to calm him, she had never seen him look so upset before. She hated to see him like this. As much as she thought that a child should always have a relationship with their parents, this was stressing him out too much. Knowing his father was certainly not something that Reid needed.

"At least hear me out," William all but begged.

"No! I am not going to let you into my life only for you to leave again," Reid cried.

"Spencer I won't. I promise you that."

"I'm sorry, but I don't exactly trust you. Talk all you want, and I won't listen. Maybe if you had tried sooner I might have. Maybe if you had found me I'd consider it. But you didn't do anything!"

"I always followed your school work, and your career. I was at all of your big events," explained William.

"It doesn't count if I never actually _saw_ you. Hiding in the back, likely in a baseball cap and sunglasses does not mean you attended those events! It means you were there, stalking me instead of being a father to me!"

"You're causing scene."

"You haven't seen a scene! I do not want you in my life. You had a yearsto find me, to talk to me, explain everything to me. So you could be a part of my life. You lost your chance a long time ago! I don't want you anywhere near me, or Emily, or any children we might have. I am not giving you another chance to hurt me! If I see you near me again I will get a restraining order!"

William dropped his business card on the table, and left silently. Reid looked at it, crumpling it as he shook his head. Prentiss meanwhile had gone over and paid for the meal. She then went back to the table. She kissed Reid's forehead gently.

"Let's go up to our room. I think it's my turn to show that I have a bit of magic in my fingers too."

"Sure," he said, not looking up, but taking her hand as they went up.

When they got into the elevator she gently pushed his chin up, to see his face. He didn't fight her, and looked at her straight in eyes. Tears were falling down his cheeks. She hugged him tightly, and kissed him gently before the doors opened, and they got out of the elevator. They got to their room, and he buried his face in her shoulder sobbing. She rubbed his back gently.

"Emily, tell me I did the right thing," he whispered, she had never heard his voice sound so small.

"I think you did Spencer," she assured him. "If you think you did the right thing why are you so upset?"

"Seeing him just brought up a lot of old feelings. Ones I didn't think I was allowed to feel before. My mom needed me to be strong when he left us. I never cried in front of her. I never told her, or anyone how I felt."

"How do you feel?" she asked him as they sat on their hotel room bed.

He curled up into her. "It hurt, Emily. It still hurts, I just pretend like it doesn't. I kept thinking that I had done something wrong to make him leave. The day before I left I beat him at a game of scrabble. Then I saw something he was working on and I pointed out a spelling mistake."

"You were four when he left."

"When we have a child you need to be ready for things like that. I could read before I could speak. It wasn't unusual for me to correct an adult's spelling or grammar. I always thought he left because I was not the kind of son he wanted."

She looked at him puzzle. "Having a genius for a child sounds kind of amazing to me."

"I really don't know. He kept trying to get me to play sports, but I wasn't overly co-ordinated. I thought he left because I couldn't pick up on baseball. I could spell huge words, I could beat almost every adult I knew at a game of chess, I was teaching myself algebra; but I could not figure out how to hit a baseball. Then he just left one day. I always thought that he left because I did that."

"You know you weren't the reason he left."

"I know the reason he left my mom. I still don't know why he left me. There were events in my life, which he claims he always attended, that my mother wasn't there for. Because she would have an episode. She once went two full years without ever stepping outside of the house. He had ample opportunity to talk me, without having to see her. He never did. I can't forgive him for that Emily."

She kissed his forehead. "You don't have to. I support your decision on this."

"Thank you." He kissed her gently. "You know I would never do that, right?"

"I know, Spencer." She began to massage his shoulders gently.

"That's really nice. Are you still sure you want to have children with me, after meeting my mother?"

"Yes, I am very sure that I want to have a child with you. I know that some days are harder than today, but the good days are worth it. The more I hear about you as a child the more I want a child just like you."

"Why?"

"Because I have always found it fascinating to watch a child discover the world. Just like you say about Henry, he's a blank slate and you get to watch as he learns new and amazing things. I think it would be almost surreal to watch how a genius discovers the world. Heck I find it amazing when you start learning something new, even now. You go from looking at a problem one second, then you wrap your brain around it, and you conquer it, then you move on."

"You do the same thing, Emily."

"Yes, I do, but you do it so quickly. Like when I taught you Italian. Once you heard a few of the pronunciations you got it. I'm sure that if we went to Rome you would have an easier time getting around than me, even though I lived there. It's amazing, and I really hope I get to see our child do that with everything he learns growing up. It will help me to understand you better."

He smiled at her. "I think I understand."

She kissed him softly. "Good."

"Now, how about that game of chess before we get ourselves all worked up and we can't do anything about it?"

"Good idea."

They got up and went to over to the small desk again. Reid took an old chess board out, and the pair began to set it up. Reid loved to play chess with Prentiss because they were fairly equally matched, so it was a challenge to him, and neither of them was ever the hands down winner before the game started. They didn't stay up very late, they knew they had one more long day ahead of them before they went home and returned to the slightly more manageable stress of their job.

End Part 3

Notes: I can't always have them jumping each other's bones at the end of the night lol.... I just wanted something a little different for these parts. I hope you liked this. Next up is what you are all waitng for... Fun with Ambassador Prentiss


	4. Fun With Ambassador Prentiss

Title: Love, Drama, and Parents: Fun with the Ambassador (Part 4 of 4)  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T (same as the show)  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, they belong to their creator, network, writers and actors and actresses who bring them to life every week. I just borrow them so they can have some fun.  
Summary: Reid and Prentiss need to tell their mothers about their engagement. It's time to tell Prentiss' mother.  
Notes:

* * *

Reid looked around Elizabeth Prentiss' home. It was exactly how he had pictured it. There was something cold and sterile about it. There were no personal pictures, just art work. There was no clutter to indicate that anyone actually lived there. It was like a show room. A maid was bringing them to a sitting room. When they stopped her saw Elizabeth sitting on a small sofa. She got up, she shook Reid's hand, and hugged her daughter.

"Liana, bring the tea and coffee for my guests. Doctor Reid how do you take your coffee?" Elizabeth asked.

"With sugar," he replied. "A fair bit, about four or five."

"Certainly, Sir," the young maid nodded, and tried to scurry out of the room.

"Despite what my mother might have told you, I would prefer a black coffee to tea, please," Prentiss said before she left.

"Yes, Ma'am," she managed to squeak out before leaving the room.

"You know I don't like it when you drink coffee Emily," sighed Elizabeth.

"You're lucky I didn't ask for a Spanish coffee mother. I'm going to need it today," Emily mumbled.

"I would imagine that your need to get drunk has something to do with that hideous ring on your finger."

Prentiss rolled her eyes. "It's amazing mother, you pretend to be miss manners, yet you don't even congratulate us. You go straight for the jugular. Even Spencer's father who abandoned him at age four congratulated us. You could pretend to be happy for us."

"I'm glad that you have decided that you would like to get married. Since there was a time where I thought you never would. I am just questioning Doctor Reid's choice in rings."

"He is going to be your son in law, you might try calling him Spencer," Prentiss sighed.

"All right, Spencer, has no one ever told you that opal wedding rings are bad luck? I don't want my daughter being doomed to a bad marriage."

"I'm not that superstitious, honestly, Ambassador Prentiss. Opal is Emily's birthstone, and she doesn't strike me as the traditional type. I know that the stone is not as strong as some, and is prone to chipping. But Emily wears it on a chain when we are working, so it shouldn't be a problem."

The maid had come back, setting drinks in front of all of them, as well as a tray of biscuits on the coffee table. She then left the room again.

"You work around a bunch of killers, and rapists and you don't even wear your ring on finger so that they know they can't touch you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Mother, if someone wanted to attack me my engagement ring would not stop them." Prentiss explained.

"Emily, you are so headstrong. First you pick a career you know I would not like, then you chose to get engaged to a man who you know I don't approve of."

"Mother! Spence is right here. I can't believe we are going through this again. Why can't you understand that I love Spencer, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him? He makes me happy."

"I just don't want to sit on my hands and watch as you make the biggest mistake of your life. I know that you think you are in love him now, but it's just physical. Once you see that you'll see you've made a mistake, and it will be too late to run away from it, just like you always do. You have run away from everyone good in your life, and have run to everything bad. I thought that you would grow out of this, but sometimes I swear you are growing into your rebellion."

"I am not a teenager! I am not rebelling. I have a career that makes me happy, and I have finally found man who I love a treats me right. Isn't that what most mothers want for their children?"

"Not when she knows that her daughter is making a mistake. You are cutting off your nose to spite your face. You want a rise out of me, and this is why you are insisting upon staying with Doctor Reid. I don't want you to wake up at my age and realise you could have done more with your life. You could marry a man who could let you travel around the world, and see everything."

"Mother that's not what I want! I have seen the parts of the world I would like to see, and if there is somewhere else I want to see we will save up, and I will go with Spencer!"

Reid could not believe what he was hearing. How could Prentiss' mother be so heartless. All she had done since they had arrived was tell Emily that she was making the wrong choices. It seemed like nothing she could do was good enough for her mother. The first time she had met her she didn't seem so bad, but the longer he knew her the less he liked her.

"Emily you know that I could get you a posting where you could get a paycheque and still spend ample time with your child." Elizabeth assured her daughter.

"In one breath you tell me that you want me to find a man to take care of me, then in the next you tell me you don't want me to let Spencer do that!" Prentiss snapped.

"I just don't want you to settle Emily. I want you to be happy."

"I _am _happy mother! Spencer makes me happy why can't understand that?"

"You are so naïve Emily. Just because you are having fun now doesn't mean it will continue that way. Eventually Spencer won't be your young verile playmate anymore."

"I can't believe it! You think that's what this about. I make one mistake as a teenager and you think that I am some sex crazed whore!"

"I never said that!"

"You never actually say anything, but what you imply is hurtful. Why on earth would I ever think that you might be happy for me?"

"You are always so dramatic Emily. Calm down. I said nothing of the sort. I am just stating the facts. I have seen this kind of thing many times."

Prentiss was fighting back tears. Reid noticed and gently took her hand. She didn't even look up at him. Elizabeth was glaring at him. Reid snapped, something inside of him just could not accept that. No one hurt _his _Emily.

"I know that you are Emily's mother, but you have no right to make her feel like this. I can count how many times Emily has cried in the time I've know her on one hand, and three of those times were because of you," Reid started.

"Where do you get off talking to me like that Doctor Reid!"

"You need to hear the truth! Emily loves you, and wants your acceptance, although I have no idea why, since you clearly will never give her that. I know that you think I am not good enough for your daughter, and trust me there are days why I wonder why on earth she would ever chose a socially awkward genius who can sound like a walking encyclopaedia of random stats. But the fact is she does love me, baffling as that might be, and I love her more than life itself. It hurts me to see her hurting."

"You cannot talk to me like that!"

"You need to hear the truth. You are surrounded by people who tip toe around you because of your job. I am not someone who works for you. I am not looking for anything from you. I have the only thing I need in my life already, and that is your daughter. Your _daughter _Ambassador Prentiss, might I add she is your only child, and you treat her like a puppet in your political games. As much as she hates that any time I ask her to share a fond memory of you with her she can think of one."

"Spencer," warned Prentiss.

Reid didn't listen. "You have hurt her more times then I even know, and yet she still smiles when she talks about the times you went to ballets, and plays, and other amazing things I could only have dreamed of seeing outside of a book as a child. Most children would have stopped trying, would have cut the unpleaseable parent out of their lives for good. I have see it happen many times, we both have. But Emily won't because she holds those memories of her childhood so closely to her heart. She knows you that you love her, and you are even able to show her, but you chose not to, why?"

"Why should I show her when she is ungrateful for everything I have ever given her!"

"Yet she still has a ballet slipper broach that you bought her when she was five. It has no pin on it, and it looks like it might fall apart any day; but she still brings it everywhere with her."

Elizabeth looked up at her daughter. "You still have that? It was the cheapest thing I've ever bought you. I can't believe it still exists."

Prentiss nodded. "It reminds me of who I am, and where I came from. That night in Paris you were so sick. You couldn't eat at dinner, and I know that sitting through that ballet was probably excruciating for you. But you did it, for me, because I wanted to see that ballet because it was going to be last time my favourite ballerina would be performing. I wanted so much to get her autograph, but the line was too long. So you bought me the broach because the slippers looked like the ones she wore that. You told me that it would last longer then a silly piece of scribbled on paper; you were right." She took it out of her purse.

Elizabeth took the trinket from her daughter's hand, memories flooding over her. She could not believe that Prentiss still had it. She took a deep breath as she remembered all the times they had fought, and wished she cold take it all back, her daughter did cherish some of their special moments.

"You would wear it every time we would see a ballet. Until you were about fourteen years old, I thought it was because you lost it," said Elizabeth.

"No, the pin broke off. I was late for curfew that night because I had to find it. I didn't want to tell you it had broken when some guy you thought would make a great friend to me tried to grope me."

Elizabeth went hugged her daughter gently. "I'm so sorry Emily."

"I love you, Mom," she whispered.

"I love you too, Emily. I am sorry for some of the horrible things that I have said to you. You never deserved that."

"Just don't do it again, please."

"I won't. I want to know my future grand children."

"They're not coming for a little while yet. How about we just celebrate my engagement to Spencer?"

"Sure, let's do that. Spencer, what is your favourite kind of food?"

"I've always been partial to Italian."

"I know just the place, it's authentic. It might be a little different from what you are used to."

"That's fine by me. I enjoy trying to new things."

Elizabeth picked up the phone, and called for her driver to bring the car around. Reid still could not believe how many people she had on staff, as they went outside. They all got into the car, and started toward the restaurant. He knew that the rest of the night was going to be interesting.

The End

Thank you for reading. I just needed to get this out there. People seemed to want to see how things worked out with Prentiss' mother. I know I fluffed out a little but come on how can I resist Reid to the rescue. Still have a few plot bunnies I want to explore if people are interested. I just don't like huge time gaps so I'm making them seperate four part mini-serieses. HOpe you are still enjoying :)


End file.
